The January 9th, 2018 episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. Here are 6 takeaways from this week’s episode of SmackDown:
6Shane McMahon Announced A Handicap Match Of His Own
WWE Champion AJ Styles was interviewed by Renee Young in the ring to kickoff this week’s episode of SmackDown. Styles was asked if he thought defending his title in a Handicap match against Owens and Zayn at the Royal Rumble was fair or not. Styles stated that he was being sarcastic last week and wouldn’t have said it if he thought Daniel Bryan was going to take him seriously.
AJ added that there is a chance he will lose his title at the Royal Rumble and there is also a chance he can beat both Owens and Zayn ass at the PPV. Renee Young once again asked AJ if he thought the match was fair and finally Styles said that he didn’t think it was fair.
Renee followed up and asked if AJ thought if Daniel Bryan was playing favorites and the crowd chanted “yes!”. AJ refused to answer the question and then refused when asked if he thought Shane was playing favorites. Styles said that he cannot allow those two idiots to take the WWE Championship from him at the Royal Rumble.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens interrupted and came down to the entrance ramp to a chorus of boos. Owens sarcastically asked the crowd to give it up for the Phenomenal AJ Styles. Owens claimed that AJ was doing everything he could to backtrack and take his words back last week. Owens told Styles that he had no chance of walking out of Royal Rumble with the WWE Championship and Sami added “yep!”. Owens stated that he and Zayn will become the first ever co-WWE Champions.
SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon joined the party and agreed with Styles that it wasn’t fair that he has to defend the WWE Championship in a Handicap match. Shane stated that he was baffled at SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan’s decision to give Owens and Zayn another chance. Shane McMahon announced a Handicap match for the main event tonight. Orton, Nakamura and Styles will face Zayn and Owens in the main event.
Shane and Daniel Bryan had a brief conversation backstage. Bryan said that Shane made a hell of a main event tonight and extended his hand. Shane and Bryan shook hands and before the SmackDown commissioner walked away.
#SDLive Commissioner @shanemcmahon can't wait to see a #HandicapMatch, so he made one for TONIGHT pitting @FightOwensFight & @SamiZayn against @ShinsukeN @RandyOrton & @AJStylesOrg! pic.twitter.com/st0eqL7cwr
— WWE (@WWE) January 10, 2018
Shane McMahon is clearly still not on the same page with Daniel Bryan, but claimed to support the GM’s decision to make the Handicap WWE Championship match for the Royal Rumble. He then called Bryan unstable later in the evening, so I’m guessing Shane has something planned to even the odds for AJ Styles at the PPV on January 28th.